Method of transporting and positioning continuous casting butts

ABSTRACT

A method of moving and positioning a casting butt produced in a continuous casting plant with the aid of holding means and a cutting device used as the transport means. The device is secured to the butt, after which they are together moved in one direction into a position that corresponds to a desired cut length, holding means clamp said butt, whereupon the cutting device is released and moved to a starting position operable to cut the held butt.

O United States Patent 1 1 3,730,780

Pfeuffer et al. May 1, 1973 [54] METHOD OF TRANSPORTING AND POSITIONINGCONTINUOUS CASTING [56] References Cited BUTTS UNITED STATES PATENTS[75] Inventors: Alfred Pfeuffer, Neu-lsenburg;

Gustav Kalkhof, Langen/Hessen; 15/1942 Bucknam ..l48/9.6 /l967 Remfeldet al.. ..l48/9 Helm Weber Stembach/Taunus, 3,382,112 5/1968 Oxley eta]...l48/9 Arnold Ludtke, Offenbach, all of Germany Primary Examiner-W. W.Stallard [73] Assignee: Messer Griesheim GmbH, Frankfurt AtmmeyEme5tMarmol'ek Main, Germany [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Sept. 14, 1970 Appl.No.: 71,825

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 18, 1969 Germany ..P 19 47 287.8

US. Cl ..l48/9 Int. Cl. ..B23k 7/00 Field of Search 148/9, 9.6; 164/263;

A method of moving and positioning a casting butt produced in acontinuous casting plant with the aid of holding means and a cuttingdevice used as the trans port means. The device is secured to the butt,after which they are together moved in one direction into a positionthat corresponds to a desired cut length, holding means clamp said butt,whereupon the cutting device is released and moved to a startingposition operable to cut the held butt.

3 Claims, 1 Drawing lFigure Patented May 1, 1973 3,730,780

ENTORS BY warm M1 Arno u Lat 41th, aw wwmj,

METHOD OF TRANSPORTING AND POSITIONING CONTINUOUS CASTING BUTTSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At the end of the casting operation employedin con- 1 tinuous casting plants, a butt is left at the'outlet of thetrain of the driving and levelling rolls and cannot be movedcontinuously forward by the material which follows. It is desirable,however, that this part, the socalled casting butt, should be cut intoportions. Broadly speaking, the invention provides a method ofpermitting automatic cutting of the casting butt largely, however, withthe aid of the cutting device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide amethod which is simple and positive in operation and requires verylittle additional tooling.

It is a further object of the invention to provide for a method which isinexpensive to establish and operate.

Further objects, and advantages of the invention will be set forth inpart in the following specification and in part will be obvioustherefrom without being specifically referred to, the same beingrealized and attained as pointed out in the claims hereof.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the inventionconsists in the novel methods, certain embodiments of the same beingillustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in thespecification.

The problems of the prior art are solved by clamping a cutting device tothe casting butt and running it to a position corresponding to thedesired length of the portions; fixing the butt in the aforesaidposition with the I portions which are longer than the cutting path, itis advantageous to repeat the forward movement of the casting until thedesired portion length lies ahead of the torch. In this way it ispossible to cut portion lengths of any desired size.

In a further embodiment of the invention the sequence of operations isautomated by arranging that a length measuring device terminates theforward movement of the cutting device in one direction when the desiredportion length has been reached and it is situated ahead of the torch inthat direction. This measure enables the portion length to be determinedin the same manner as in the normal dividing operation without howevermeasuring the length to be cut off. By using the aforesaid lengthmeasuring device it is ensured' that terminal portions which are shorterthan the desired portion length will not be produced, since when the endof the casting leaves the length measuring device no further cut iseffected.

The invention accordingly. comprises the several steps and the relationof one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, all asexemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing there isdepicted, in a single fragmentary sectional wing, a part of a continuouscasting plant, namely the region downstream of the driving and levellingroll train and upstream of the delivery roller table.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In carrying the invention intoeffect in the embodiments which have been selected for illustration inthe accompanying drawing and for description in this specification,there is provided a plurality of first table rollers 1 and 2 of anintermediate roller table. There is also a delivery roller table 3downstream of said first rollers 1 and 2. Between the first rollers land 2 and the delivery roller table 3 there is disposed a cutting pit 4,over which a running track 5 is disposed. A cutting device 6 is adaptedto run on the running track 5 and is provided with a cutting torch 7 anda clamping device 8. A stationary holding device 9 is disposed near thedelivery roller table 3. This holding device 9 may be of any kind andthe arrangement thereof at the end of the intermediate roller table isalso within the scope of the invention.

A length measuring device 10 is disposed in the region of theintermediate roller table and is connected to the cutting device 6 by asuitable electric control (not shown). The distance from the axis of themeasuring wheel of the length measuring device 10 to the center of thecutting torch 7 in the zero .position is the measure of the smallestpossible portion which can be cut at the end of a casting buttfThearrangement of the holding device 9 is therefore advantageouslydetermined by being dependent upon the portion length mainly cut off inthe machine in question.

OPERATION After thecontinuous forward movement of the casting hasstopped, the remainder of the flame cutting operations are carried outin accordance with the invention. For this purpose the cutting device 6is run into the zero position at the end of the intermediate rollertable and there fastened to the casting. Through the independent driveof the cutting device 6the latter is moved together with the casting inthe direction of the delivery roller table 3. When the desired portionlength has been reached the holding device 9 is operated and takes overthe positioning or holding of the casting. The clamp jaws 8 of thecutting device 6 are then released and the latter is returned either tothe zero position or to a cutting position corresponding to the desiredportion length. For this purpose it is advantageous for a supportingroller 11 to be provided on the torch 7 for the purpose of supportingthe portion cut off.

If the desired portion length should be greater than the possible pathof movement of the cutting device 6, the abovedescribed movement of thecasting in the direction of the delivery roller table 3 is repeateduntil the desired portion length is situated ahead of the torch 7.

For the purpose of simplifying this operation the length measuringdevice indicates when the desired position of the portion ahead of thezero position of the torch 7, which is the reference point for themeasurement, has been reached. The forward movement of the cuttingdevice 6 is switched off with the aid of the length measuring device 10when the portion length is reached. The holding device takes over thefastening of the casting, the clamp jaws of the cutting device 6 arereleased again, the cutting device 6 is returned to the zero position,and the dividing cut is carried out in the zero position.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire tobe secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A method of cutting an end section of a casting produced in acontinuous casting plant, with the aid of a cutting device movable ineither direction throughout a stroke between a starting position and anend position in the path of movement of said casting, and operable forbeing used as a transport means for the end section, and stationaryholding means located at the end position,

the steps comprising: securing said cutting device to said end section;thereafter moving said cutting device together with said secured endsection to said end position; subsequently holding said end section insaid end position by said holding means; then releasing said cuttingdevice from being secured to said end section; and lastly moving backsaid cutting device for a desired length into a cutting position andcutting said end section held by said holding means. 2. A method, asclaimed in claim 1, the steps prior to cutting said end section furthercomprising repeating the transport movement of said cutting device forcutting portions longer than said stroke. 3. A method, as claimed inclaim 1, the steps of measuring said desired length, and terminatingsaid back movement when said desired length has been reached.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, the steps prior to cutting said endsection further comprising repeating the transport movement of saidcutting device for cutting portions longer than said stroke.
 3. Amethod, as claimed in claim 1, the steps of measuring said desiredlength, and terminating said back movement when said desired length hasbeen reached.